Handmade and beautiful…

Handmade and beautiful…

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
How has your day been?
You know I always say that we have good days and growing days?
Well, mine has definitely been a growing day today !!
It’s that age old problem of having to be creative to order, 
when nothing works, nothing comes together, 
what you are using doesn’t speak to you,
and everything you produce is c r a p.
And anybody who insists that there’s no such thing as c r a p,
that it’s all a big learning curve, is absolutely right. 
I learn more from my c r a p mistakes than I do from my best work.
But have we had a laugh?
Oh yes. Paul and I have had the best time!
I hope you have time to watch him on TV on Sunday;
he is showcasing all the wonderful Jayne Nestorenko flowers, 
in both Groovi and Stampsets.
Lucky for the TV Show prep, I was working on other stuff….
finally let it go, accepted that today was not the day to push any longer. If it ain’t happening, it ain’t happening, 
my little chickpea Gray!
Escape to the blog corner, to chat to my friends!
But chat about what?
Sometimes the answer is sitting there, right in front of you…
A pen and a Note Pad.
But by Jove! Not just any old pen and note pad!!
The pad was a gift to me from lovely Tina Cox,
which is quite obvious if you know her world-famous little butterflies! They are looking a little well loved nowadays,
but that is because I use the note-pad every day!
And the pen.
Well, what a treasure this is!
Another friend and parching expert, Josie Davidson, 
made this for me.
A beaded pen. Look at the work! 

See? It even has my name wrapped around it!
Beautiful.
And so kind of Josie to make it just for me.

I think that’s the best thing about hand made personal gifts like these: not only are they very useful,
but the fact that somebody took the time – their time – to make me something. That means they were thinking about me when I didn’t even know they were. 
I get a great deal of joy from that fact, 
and am reminded of these two friends every single time 
I sit at my desk and start to work. 
The world abounds with generous, thoughtful people, doesn’t it?
My little artroom here is filled with gifts from kind folk. 
As I look around, they make me smile….
I think this Christmas I would like to give more personal, thought through and handmade gifts…
Reality check Gray, you dreamer !!!
If you managed to handmake your Christmas cards it would be a blimming miracle!
But now it’s teatime!
See you tomorrow!
Be safe, go easy if the snow is falling, 
and stay indoors in the warm if you can  
Love & Hugs,
Barb

43 thoughts on “Handmade and beautiful…

  1. Two treasured possessions from two crafting experts are gorgeous. Yesterday was the day that everything went in the bin as it wasn't coming together. Took time out and returned to it today to finish 2 projects which I am very pleased with. Enjoy your evening and see you tomorrow.
    Hugs
    Linda xxxx

  2. What beautiful gifts, such lovely work and it is always a treat to receive something handmade to treasure forever.
    Hope what you were working for inspires you more tomorrow, it is often the case that you have to walk away a while for something to make sense

  3. What beautiful gifts from two such talented people. I am concentrating on hand made gifts for my family this year. My two youngest granddaughters are getting parchment panelled lanterns for one thing, but they are also getting shawls that I have crocheted and matching cosy scarves that I knitted. Each stitch in those represents a hug from me. I love to receive something small that someone has put time, thought and love into, far not Speak dial than more expensive (financially) gifts. Perhaps all of us blog readers could make five cards for you to send. A small payment for all your time and thought that you put into everything you do for us. xxx Maggie

  4. They are both beautiful lot of thought and care went into making them ,, my last couple days not been good but hopefully is a new day hope to play tomorrow have a good evening xxx

  5. A lovely blog today Barbara. It really is good when someone has taken the trouble to make something just for you. A man in my physio group at the hospice I go to was thrilled when he felt well enough to spend some time in his garage on his wood turning lathe to make us all wood turned pens. It gave him great pleasure in giving and us great pleasure in receiving especially as it meant he was feeling well enough to complete them.Looking forward to watching Paul on Sunday. Hope you and Dave have a relaxing weekend.xx

  6. Hand made gifts reinforce how much you are loved and cherished. I think that they bring a lot of joy and happiness to both the giver and receiver. This year I am making most of my Christmas present for my friends and family as I want to make it more personal and individual than shop bought gifts. If I do need to buy a gift it will be from a small local business rather than a large one as I believe it is important to support them.

  7. Hi Barbara, sorry the arty part of your brain was on strike today, but glad you and Paul had a good day laughing, it's the best medicine for you. I think I learn more when my ideas don't work too. Actually, it's rare that the picture in my head is the end result in reality, but that's usually because what I see in front of me isn't as good as the picture in my head, so then I have to rethink to change what I've made in some way, to get round my needing perfection problem. And, the odd occasion when my head does think what it sees in front of me is good, well my head refuses to believe I made it! For real, my head tells me and believes I didn't make it, no matter how many times I tell myself I did make it! So far, never found the solution to this one.

    Beautiful gifts, glad they give you pleasure.

    What has my day been – 'busy getting nowhere', I guess. Think that should go on my gravestone! The most frustrating thing about Asperger's, in my personal opinion, busy getting nowhere. We should be allowed extra years alive to make up for the extra time it takes us to do anything!!!

    No snow here, it's missed us for now. Just frost.

    Hope you have a lovely weekend
    Love Brenda xx

    1. Brenda I hope the snow keeps missing you, they've even forecasted it for the sunny south, but not as much as Scotland. Keep snug and warm. Sending hugs to you and Daisy xxx

  8. Hi Barbara
    How thoughtful and kind of the lovely Tina and Josie to make those gifts for you.
    Saw the pen at Harrogate you were looking all over for it in the end you found it Maria was looking after it for you.
    It's so lovely to get handmade gifts no matter how big or small the best thing about them is they have been made with love.
    Hope your flowers made the journey from Harrogate in one piece but it's ok if they didn't.
    Have a lovely weekend . Xx

  9. I love to give and receive hand made gifts as I know the time, thought and love that has gone into making them. Close family always get a little something. This year I have two MDF trays to make and decorate for my Mum and MDF key holders/mail boxes for my sisters. My boys and nephew all got personalised, decorated door hangers last year for those occasions when they do not wish to be disturbed. I don't do it just to save some pennies (although it does), but because I want to match the gift to the person and show them how much I care for them. I can see why you appreciate both these items. They are beautiful and so are the thoughts and wishes that lay behind them.

  10. For the last number of years, Mum's many carers gifts have been handmade – a personal thank you from my sister and myself as well as being cost-effective. This year it's reprising 2011, when she first needed carers. Pocket-sized note-book and pen, no excuse now for not having a pen to write their reports! All decorated with Clarity products, my main contribution to this month's challenge. ;~}

  11. Hello Barb,
    It's not a wasted day if you've laughed with a friend. I agree with you, handmade gifts mean so much more, especially if they are little boxes filled with chocolates, as given to me by my good friend Diane!!!
    Maureen xxx

  12. Hi Barbara
    Isn't it a pain when things don't go as you hope they will but halving a laugh with a good friend is worth so much. I had a little chuckle – sorry – you must have so many half finished Christmas samples to send Christmas cards to all your friends and relations. Perhaps you should send everyone homework this year instead of cards. They will see the funny side of it if they know you really well and if they don't then do they need a card! Have a lovely relaxing evening, we are watching children in need so tissues at the ready!
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hello lovely blog friends. I've just cut my gingerbread house out, not bad for a first attempt. If I get time I'm going to make them for some special friends as a treat for Christmas, might have my work cut out! Hope everyone is ok. Keep warm this weekend. Sending hugs xxx

  13. Evening Barbara enjoy your restful night with Dave, your beautiful gifts so lovingly made for you it's very special to receive a hand made gift /card /art work they are always made with love xxx

    1. Evening dear blog friends thinking of you all sending heartfelt hugs ,my postman brought me a clarity parcel today a Christmas hamper parcel beautifully wrapped and a few extra bits to craft with thank you clarity towers xxx

  14. What lovely gifts. I love to receive heartfelt homemade gifts. Well, I scraped the car to go to work this morning and I scraped the car to come home. All is well now as the stove is on. I hope everybody has a good day tomorrow and inspiration returns.

  15. Oh wow, beautiful handmade gifts indeed. I get a great deal of pleasure making handmade gifts for family and friends xx p's. Laughing is much better than crying 😀

  16. What beautiful gifts Barbara, there are so many very talented people around, including you. I was trying to craft yesterday and nothing was going right, and I think we expect that you are never likely to have an off day but we are all human and creativity doesn't always flow, even for you, so it makes me feel I am in good company to know you feel the same sometimes. Glad you and Paul had a good laugh together and I will look forward to seeing Paul on Sunday. x

  17. Hand made gifts are always so special. I am knitting mermaid tails for my grand daughters this year. The little one is finished but the big one is taking ages- she's taller than me but her mum said she would love one.Hope you are all keeping warm.It's chilly down here in Cornwall but we rarely get ice or snow x

  18. Hello Barb, what beautiful handmade gifts! I know how you feel about when things ain't happening. I had one of those weeks, never mind just a day. Hang in there and let life flow. Looking forward to Pauls show. Take care all. Bx

  19. Beautiful gifts to treasure. I love making things for friends and family when I have time, and after a few false starts, I actually made a whole pile of finished Christmas cards yesterday. I'm sure if you put an appeal on the blog, that we could all make a card for you, and post it through to Clarity towers blank and ready for you to put your personalised stamp on – I'd be up for it anyway! x

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